The Finis Freestyler Paddle is a patented hand paddle designed to improve freestyle stroke technique. Unlike other paddles, the Freestyler is not designed for resistance or strength training, instead the paddles hydrodynamic shape decreases resistance through the water, thereby improving extension and distance per stroke. The Freestyler's unique shape and 'skeg' design improves streamlined hand entry which lengthens each arm stroke. A longer stroke creates a better pull through and better body roll technique.

The smaller white 'junior' version of the paddles is designed for use by junior athletes but is also perfect for women 1.65m (5' 6") or shorter who may find the full-size paddles a little large.

SS Head Coach Paul Newsome Introduces The Finis Freestyler Paddles:

(please note: the full size version of the freestyler paddles are now yellow)

We recommend the smaller 'Junior' version of the paddles to women under 1.65m (5' 6") tall.

Swim Smooth's Opinion:

The Freestylers are not a strength paddle but a technique paddle. They are a great tool to help you work on your hand placement and alignment in the water. Unlike normal paddles which can cause shoulder injury if used incorrectly, the improvements the Freestylers make to your stroke help you avoid shoulder injury.

Swimming is not limited by strength, it's limited by technique. That's why we're such big fans of these paddles.

The Freestylers very much fit with the Cause And Effect principle behind our coaching. They primarily help prevent crossing over the midline (see picture on the right) as you enter forward. By correcting this 'cause' they remove many of the 'effects' a cross-over creates - shoulder injury, swimming off course in open water and scissor kicking.

The freestylers help you remove cross-over from your stroke.

The paddles correct cross-over by being quite unstable on your hand. They have only one strap for your middle finger and being shaped like an arrow-head with a unique skeg design on the bottom they straighten themselves up in the water. A bit like the tail on a weather vane keeping it pointing into the wind, the skeg likes to keep the paddle pointing straight up the lane. So, if you cross over the centre line in your stroke technique, the paddle tries to straighten you up and you feel this - instant feedback you're doing something wrong!

When you swim with the freestylers it's important not to grab the paddle by wrapping your fingers around the edges. Instead rest your hand on the top and keep your fingers together as you would in your normal stroke. Any inefficiency in the way in which you enter the water will result in the paddle lifting or feeling very awkward, giving you immediate feedback on how well you are entering - great!

With correct hand entry and no cross-over the effect will be a more streamlined body position and no scissor-kicking of the legs. Scissor kicks are a natural reaction to a loss of balance caused by crossing the centre line in your stroke technique.

In summary, these paddles help you develop the following aspects of your swimming technique:

A final tip from us. As you swim with these paddles focus on slightly more pressure on the front of the paddle (under your finger tips) than on your wrist as you enter the water. This will prevent a hydro-planing effect which would cause you to drop your wrist and elbow when pulling through.

Our Guarantee

All products supplied by Swim Smooth are hand picked from quality suppliers or developed in-house. We're so confident in the benefits each offers to swimmers and coaches we are able to give our full money-back guarantee. If you are not entirely satisfied with your Freestyler paddles return them to us and we will refund you. Simple as that.

Why do we stock so much Finis kit? Simply because they make some great products which we have grown to love over the years, so much so that we use very few training tools from anyone else within our Swim Smooth squads in Perth. We particularly love their paddles which are very innovative and cleverly designed.

Swim Smooth were recently invited by Finis to visit their home base in California and found an impressive young company packed with talented people. We were impressed to find that nearly every employee was a super-quick competitive swimmer in their own right, which explains why they produce such excellent products:

In short, these guys are the real deal, producing great kit that really helps swimmers improve their swimming.

We are shipping orders from the UK to the United States as normal but have been informed by the Royal Mail of some new security measures that have been introduced by United States Homeland Security to all mail entering the United States. These measures may mean a small delay to your parcel arriving over the February period. Full details can be seen here.

We would like to appologise in advance if there is any delay to your parcel arriving but rest assured you will soon receive your delivery safe and sound.

We pride ourselves on great value shipping prices.If you have a large order, please contact our sales team for a precise shipping quote.

We ship all our products from the UK because the UK postal system offers fast and great value shipping to the rest of the world.

Typical delivery times:

UK: 2-5 days ¹United States and Canada: 7-10 days ¹EU Europe: 3-7 days ¹Australia / New Zealand: 7-10 days ¹Asia: 10-21 days ¹

¹ Typical delivery times which we work very hard to achieve for you. Delays are rare but we must allow 28 days before a claim is made against the suspected loss of a parcel.

Over the last decade we've shipped tens of thousands of packages to our customers in Europe, North America, South America and Asia. You can order from us safe in the knowledge that we have never left a single order unfullfilled anwhere in the world. We operate an extremely fast service and in the unlikely event we cannot send your parcel out on the next working day, we will inform you immediately by email.